Implication
by Syster
Summary: Esposito may have been framed, but he's reluctant to give up the one piece of information that would clear him.


**AN: This was something I started a while ago. I intended it to be longer but… I'm just going to wrap it up here.**

"I'm sorry. I know you didn't do anything, we all do, but you know that I have to ask these questions."

Kate Beckett hated that she had to even ask this of her subordinate, her colleague and most of all her friend. If she didn't, when they caught the real killer and the case went to trial they would have to explain why they didn't explore all avenues of investigation and could risk the case being thrown out and the perp walking free. She was convinced that he had nothing to do with the current case she was working on - she KNEW Esposito, she trusted him with her life...

It seemed pretty straight forward. Gun shot wound to the chest, murder weapon next to the body… They had thought it was an open and shut case when analysis of the crime scene had turned up a couple of prints (that didn't belong to the victim) on the door handle, but when they did a database search, only one name, an unexpected name was thrown out.

Homicide Det. Javier Esposito.

She had sent Esposito out canvassing with his partner Ryan whilst forensics dusted for prints. He had not set foot into the building so she knew that he hadn't accidentally contaminated the crime scene. Besides, he was too good of a cop for that. Which then led to the question…

"Do you know how your prints got to be at the scene?"

Javier Esposito just blinked at her, trying to disguise the hurt he was feeling. But, he also knew that she had been ordered to ask these questions and considering the circumstances...

"I don't know. They could have been placed there."

"You have an alibi?"

"Yes."

"Can you give it to me?"

"Beckett, come ON you know I didn't do this…"

"Yes but, it would be so much easier if we could clear you with an alibi."

"I can't… I can't tell you"

"But it will clear you and we wont have to go through this…"

"If I DID do it, do you think - after all this time - that I would be dumb enough to leave behind finger prints?" Angry, tired and frustrated - he had started to lose his cool at least 5 minutes ago.

"Is that a confession Esposito?" Kate sighed, wary of the softly whirring tape recorder in the interrogation room.

Ryan, who had been watching with Castle through the two way mirror, stopped pacing for a moment so he could run a hand through his hair. He was on edge, concerned for his partner, pissed off at the situation and - to be honest - about to snap.

Castle, who had been sitting with his forehead resting against the glass and watching the scene with rapt attention, glanced over at him, the worry on his face evident. "This is NOT looking good man."

Ryan didn't reply, just threw him a dark look and resumed pacing.

"Just sayin' …he's digging a hole - withholding his alibi like that."

Back in the interrogation room, Beckett appeared to agree with Castle. "Esposito, you're really not making this sound any less suspicious."

"Beckett, it's just… it's personal and _really_ private ok?"

"Unfortunately this time, it's not ok. I have been ordered to investigate and hopefully clear you before looking into any other leads and I don't have the time to waste."

He pushed his chair back with a little more force than he had intended "You're basically ordering me to hurt someone I really, really care about. My alibi isn't ready to… publicly be my alibi yet."

"I don't understand. Who are you protecting?"

As Esposito clenched his jaw, Ryan burst into the room - followed by a curious and slightly amused looking Castle.

Beckett jumped to her feet "Ryan you can't be in here"

"I can. I'm his alibi"he dragged out the chair next to Esposito's and sat down with a determined frown on his face.

"What?" Now she was really confused.

Ryan looked over at Esposito"Man, just tell them - it's not worth you losing your job, or worse!" He said softly.

Esposito sighed and rubbed a hand over his face "Bro, we… I know you don't want..."

"He was with me okay?" Ryan interrupted before Javier could have stopped him.

"Riiight…" Beckett said slowly, in a tone of voice that didn't make it sound like she believed him. "That sounds a little too convenient Ryan. Look, I get that you're looking out..."

"I _was_ with Kevin." Esposito admitted quietly.

"Then why didn't you just say that in the first place?"she asked.

Esposito didn't say anything and Ryan just looked at him helplessly, not knowing what to do, or whether Esposito would want him to continue.

But Beckett diverted her attention back to Esposito, determined to get to the bottom of this. "Okay so say that you were together in the evening, what time did you leave? There'll still be a window of time where nobody can vouch for you."

"I didn't leave." He sighed resignedly.

"We were… Watching movies pretty late."Ryan interjected.

"You're going to give me more than that guys."

An interested "how late?" came from across the room and Beckett gave Castle a warning glare for butting in.

"Uh… Pretty damn late." Esposito now had his eyes fixed on the table in front of him, with a slow blush creeping up his neck.

"Do we really have to spell this out for you?" Ryan rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair.

"We were together." Esposito said, refusing to look Beckett in the eye.

"Yeah we got that part." What was she missing?

"No… in the same room together."

"…Esposito, what…?"

"In the same BED together."

"In the s…? Oh OH, you mean you were TOGETHER, _together_?" her eyes were as wide as saucers. Now THAT was unexpected.

"Oh this is just _too_ good!"

"Castle!"

"Sorry."

"And Ryan…" she cleared her throat and took a moment to adjust to the new information "There's no way he could have left at some point without you knowing?"

"No."

"You're sure?"

"I'm sure. One of his wrists was handcuffed to my bed." He told her, straight faced - blue yes sparkling with mischief. Esposito ducked his head and couldn't stop the small smile that spread over his face. Ryan was glad that he had managed to lighten the situation somewhat… despite the circumstances.

"_Really_?" Castle asked, an intrigued look crossing his face. Ryan could tell that he was desperate for more details about their relationship.

"No! Not really. _Dude_!" Ryan threw him a look before refocusing on his partner & his boss.

"Let's just say that we sleep pretty close…" he said, looking Beckett straight in the eye. "and I'm a really light sleeper."

"This couldn't have turned out better had I written it myself. An accused detective, his partner as his only alibi…" Castle started.

Esposito dropped his head onto the table and gave a 'I can't believe this is happening to me' sigh, palms flat on the table next to this head. Ryan who's left hand was resting next to his right surreptitiously brushed their fingertips together and Esposito felt a little of the tension flow away. He knew they'd be ok.


End file.
